Holosiivo

Holosiivskyi District: A Guide to the Southwest of Kyiv

Holosiivskyi district is one of the 10 urban districts of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It covers an area of 156.35 km2 and has a population of about 205,300 people. It was created in 2001 as part of the city’s administrative reform.

Holosiivskyi district is located in the southwestern part of Kyiv, bordering other districts of Kyiv and neighboring regions of Kyiv Oblast.

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Historical Significance of Holosiiv

Holosiivskyi District is both the largest and one of the greenest districts in Kyiv. Covering more than 15,000 hectares, roughly the size of 21,000 football fields, it occupies an enormous part of the capital, which explains why it borders so many other districts of Kyiv as well as parts of the surrounding region.

What makes Holosiivskyi especially unique is its scale: it begins not far from Khreshchatyk, the heart of Kyiv, and stretches all the way to the city’s southern and western outskirts.

During the October coup in 1917, this peaceful place was destroyed by the Bolsheviks. They looted and burned the Holosiiv monastery, which was a treasure of Ukrainian culture. 

Later, in the 1920s, the Kyiv Agricultural Institute was established near the forest. This place also witnessed the horrors of war, as it was part of the 3rd defense line of Kyiv in 1941. Here, the brave defenders of the city fought against the invaders. After the war, Holosiiv was rebuilt and became a modern and vibrant district of Kyiv.

Modern Suburbs of Holosiivskyi District

The Teremky neighborhood in Kyiv, located between Holosiiv, Feofaniya, and Zhulyany, was built on historically significant land. According to the original vision, it was designed to become a true “city within a city.”

Its name has an interesting origin. Although it may sound fairy-tale-like, it is not connected to folklore at all. In fact, the word refers to a small house and comes from the old Slavic term terem, which was used to describe the upper floor or tower chamber of a traditional house.

Construction of the district began in the 1960s near the Holosiiv Forest. Teremky was initially developed for scientists working at the Institute of Cybernetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR.

At the time, Kyiv’s urban planners envisioned creating a dedicated community for researchers, a comfortable residential area with abundant green spaces, educational institutions, and an atmosphere designed for intellectual and academic life.

Today, Teremky is part of Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi District and is usually divided into two sections. Teremky-1 lies closer to the Ipodrom metro station and Hlushkov Avenue, while Teremky-2 stretches toward Akademika Zabolotnoho Street and Odesa Square.

Although the neighborhood is now considered one of the most comfortable and popular residential areas in Kyiv, its landscape looked very different in the past. Before large-scale urban development began, the territory consisted mainly of summer cottages, open fields, and forests.

Some traces of that natural environment can still be felt today, especially around the National Expocenter of Ukraine (VDNH), where large green spaces have been preserved.

Holosiivskyi District: A Green Zone with Many Attractions

Holosiivskyi district is a Kyiv district known for its greenery and natural beauty. Most of the district’s territory is a green zone that stretches from Holosiiv to Koncha-Zaspa. It includes the Holosiiv Forest, which is a large and beautiful forest that connects several parks and landmarks. Some of them are:

  • Feofania is a park that has a lake, a waterfall, a monastery, and a hospital.
  • Holosiiv Park, named after M. Rylsky, a park that has a museum, a zoo, and a botanical garden.
  • Holosiivskyi National Nature Park is a park that was created in 2007 to protect the biodiversity and ecology of the forest.

Holosiivskyi district also has many other attractions that are worth visiting. Some of them are:

  • National Expo Center of Ukraine, one of the largest exhibition centers in Eastern Europe, hosts various events and fairs.
  • Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, an observatory that has a planetarium, a museum, and a telescope.
  • Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine ‘Pyrogiv’, an open-air museum that showcases the traditional rural culture and architecture of Ukraine.

Holosiivskyi district is a great place to enjoy nature and culture in Kyiv. It has something for everyone, whether you are interested in history, science, or art. Whether you are interested in culture, history, nature, or entertainment, you will find it in this district. Holosiivskyi district is a great place to visit and explore in Kyiv.